Self-inflating life belt



June 22 1926. 1,590,151

AHDRAPEAU SELF INFLATING LIFE BELT Filed April 4,1925

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M M W ATTCRN EY INVENTOR June 22 1926.

A. DRAPEAU SELF INFLATING LIFE BELT Filed April 4., 1925 2 Sheets-SheetP 7 7 tion.

Patented June 22, 1 926.

UNITED STATES.

ADOLIHUS DRAPEAU, 01' RIVER ROUGE, MICHIGAN.

SELF-INFLATING LIFE BIEIL'I'.

Application filed April 4, 1925. Serial No. 20,791.

The object of this invention is a life savin appliance for swimmers orleathers.

peoifically the im rovement has reference to a life saving elt providedwith an inflatable pocket or pockets and means comprising a fluid underpressure for inflating the pocket or pockets, the said fluid beingmaintained in a container and released therefrom by a valve which may beeither manually operated or automatically operated.

To the attainment of the above broadly stated objects, and many otherswhich will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood,the invention further resides in certain features of construction,combination and operative association of I parts, a satisfactoryembodiment of which is illustrated by the drawings which accomand whichform part ofthisapphca- In the drawings 2- Figure 1 is a viewillustrating my 1mprovement in applied position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the belt taken in a line with thepocket that receives therein the fluid container and the control meanstherefor.

Figure 3 is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view throughthe fluid container and the controllingmeans therefor.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through the rear portion of thecaslng for the fluid controlling means showing the opcrating lever ininactive position and also showing a dissolvable tablet holding thevalve plunger in one position.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the casing.

As disclosed by /the drawings, my improvement contemplates theemployment of a belt 1. The belt is constructed of suitable textilematerial and is provided with shoulder straps 2. The confronting ends ofthe belt 1 are fastened together by means 3, the

said means being preferably of an adjustable nature. Secured on theouter face of the belt 1- there. is an inflatable pocket 4 of somesuitable waterproof material collapsible when not inflated so that thedevices may be conveniently folded and carried in the pocket of a user.Y

Of course more than one inflatable pocket 4 may be employed, and thesaid pocket-is f provided with an inlet opening surrounded y a flexibletube 5.

Secured on or formed with the lower edge of the belt 1 there is areceptacle 6 that is normally closed by a flap 7. In this receptaclethere is received the container for fluid under pressure and thecontrolling means for the said fluid, the fluid being employed .forinflating the pocket 4.

The numeral 8 designates a container for a fluid, such as a gasunderpressure. The container may be, and preferably is, in the nature of abottle having its neck provided with both exterior and interior threads.Secured in the neck of the bottle there is a stopper 9. The stopper' hasa central open- .ing that receives therethrough the hollow -7 formedwith an outstanding flange 17. This end of the casing is simply formedwith a port 19 that registers with the longitudinal port in the hollowvalve stem. The port 19, however,'is normally closed by a needle valve20 on the reduced end 21 of a follower member or block 22. I The block22 is rounded in cross section and is snugly re-v ceived in the bore ofthe casing 16, the portion 21 belng snugly received in a restrictedpassage 23 thatcommunicates with the said bore of the casing. Therestricted pamage 23 has communicating therewith a transverse port- 24,and screwed in the casing and having its bore aligning with the port 24there is a nipple 25 that has its outer end corrugated and received inthe hose 5.' There is arranged over the flanged end 17 of the easing 16a flanged nut 18, and preferably be' tween the said end of thecasing andthe mouth of the container there is a compressible disk. Before thevalve 12 is wholly unseated the nut 18 is partly screwed home so thatthe gas from the container cannot escape to the atmosphere or throughthe easing 16. When the nut is fully screwed home there is an airtightjoint between the con-' tainer and the casing.

The casing has a curved slot 26 through one side thereof, and the block22 is pro vided with a handle member 27 that is received through and isguided by contact I with the port of the valve and having a lateral portcommunicating with the inflat- L the sliding of the block 22' and theopening of the port 19, thus allowing the gas from the container 8 toflow through the hollow stem of the valve 12, the ports 19 and 24,through the hose 5 to inflate the pocket 4. The casing 16, at one end ofthe groove or opening 26 is formed with a longitudinal notch 28 which isdesigned to receive the handle 27 therein and to permit of a longitudinal movement of the block 22 and the opening of the port 19 withoutnecessitating the operation of the handle. When such operation isdesired I make use of a dissolvable tablet 32 which is arranged betweenthe rear end of the block 22 and the inner shouldered portion of aflanged cap 29 which is threaded in the outer and open end of the casing16. The cap 29 is provided with an opening 31 which ermits of theentrance of water into the casing 18 when the device is submerged. Thiswater will dissolve the tablet 32, so that the pressure of gas from thecontainer flowing through the hollow stem of the valve 16 will exert apressure upon the part 20 of the block 22 to move the samelongitudinally toward the rear of the casing 16, thus automaticallyuncovering the ports 19 and 24 and permitting the inflation of thepocket 4. There is a compressible gasket 33 between the block and theshoulder provided between the bore and the passage 23 of the casing 16.

Havin described the invention, I claim 1. A lfe belt having inflatablepocketsand having a receptacle, a container for a fluid under pressuredesigned to be received in the receptacle, a spring influenced valvehaving a hollow stem normally closing the container, a casing designedto be removably secured to the container and by virtue of connectiontherewith to unseat the valve, said casing having a port communicatingable pocket of the belt, a needle valve for closing the first mentionedport and means for unseating the valve.

2. A swimmers life belt having an inflatable pocket and also having areceptacle below the pocket, means, comprising fluid under pressure, andcontrol means for said nected to the inflatable pocket, a block slidablymounted in the container and having a reduced portion formed with aneedle valve extenslon to engage with and normally close the firstmentioned port in the casing and means for moving the blocklongitudinally in the casing for unseating the needle valve. I

3. The combination of a belt for swimmers use having an inflatablepocket, of a means for said inflatable ocket removably associated withthe belt, sald means comprising a container for a fluid under pressure,a slidable spring controlled valve having a hollow stem, normall closingthe container, a casing having a anged end, a cap nut slidable thereonand threadedly engaging the mouth of the container and by virtue of suchconnection to cause the hollow valve stem to contact with the casing tounseat the valve, said casing having a port communicating with thehollow valve stem and a second angular port, a block slidable in thecasing having a reduced extension formed with a needle valve to engagewith the first mentioned port to close the latter,

said block. having a peripheral curved groove, said casing having a.corresponding groove, and a va ve having a forked end received in andmovable through the grooves ted closure for the casing and a dissolvabledisc between the closure and the block.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ADOLPHUS DRAPEAU.

for holding the lever in inoperative position, a slot-

